Improvement in portable map-holders



GEORGE RICE, 0E ERAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters'Patent No. 87,591,dated March 9, 1869.

IMPROVEMENTIN PORTABLE MAP-HOLDERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the name To all whom Iitma/y concewu- Be it known that I, GEORGE RICE, M. D., of Framingham, in the county of Middlesex, and in the State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Portable Map-Holder and Exhibitor; and 'do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the map-holder with the cover raised, so as to 'show the interior arrangement;

Figure 2 is a perspective rear 'view ofthe same;

Figure 3 is a cross-section of the slides, for supporting the maps outside ofthe holder;

Figure 4 represents a broken front and edgeview of a map, showing the manner of securing it to the supporting-slats or files;

Figure 5 is a perspective rear view of the holder, showin g the cover partly raised, and supplied .with the necessary appliances for use as a desk;

Figure 6 is a front elevation of a portable desk for use with the map-holder;

Figure 7 is a plan view ofthe same;

Figure 8 is a frontelevation of the same,- as prepared for use;

Figui-esi) and 10 are a plan view and an end elevation ofthe same;

Figure 11 is a cross-section of iig. 9 on the line xx,-

Figure 12 represents a side and an edge view of the legs used, the outer ends of the upper section of the portable deskspread apart, as shown in fig. 8;

Figure 13 is a vertical longitudinal section of a pen or pencil-holder orrack;

Figure 14 is a plan view of the same; Y Figures 15 and 16 represent an edge and a side view of a map-file; and

Figure 17 is a cross-section of the same on the line desk; and to this end,

. It consists cfa suitably-constructed box, for containing the maps when not in use, and in providingmeans whereby they'may be suspended at any desired height from either side or end of said box, when required for reference.

It further consists of the peculiar construction and.

arrangement of the appliances, by means of whichthe map-holder can be readily converted into and used as a desk, or a separate and independent writing-desk furnished, as may be desired.

In the annexed drawings- A A represent the holder, consisting of a box corre.

spending, in inside length and depth, yto the size, and in'wdth, to the number of maps it is designed to hold, and provided with a cover or lid, B, liinged to theback side' of said holder in the usual m'anner. Said cover is provided with two quadrants b b, working in grooves in the ends of the holder, and so arranged as to permit the cover to be raised only to a perpendicular position.

The outer edge of each quadrant is provided with a series of teeth, with which sliding stops, a @may be made to engage, so as to secure the cover at any height desired.

To the bottom of the holder A is added a base, C, containing a drawer, D, as large as the size of said base will permit, opening from one end, for the purpose of containing maps upon rollers, or of a larger size than can be suspended within the holder.

The front side of the holder is provided with two doors, E E, through which access can be had to its interior.

Extending across each end of the holder, upon the inside, are cleats a a', one inch in Width upon their upper face, and placed at about one inch and a quarter l from the top edge of said holder, for the purpose of supporting the ends of the files or st-iips to which the maps are secured. 'f y F F represent four slides, two, each, upon the front and back side of the holder, which work in suitable grooves in its ends, Said slides are placed at a suitable distance apart, and grooved out, as shown in g. 3, so as to furnish a support for the map-tiles outside of said holder, and as the length of said slides corresponds to the width of the box, each set may be adjusted so as to contain from one to two -thirds the number of maps that can be suspended upon the inside ofthe holder.

Placed upon the front and rear sides, and upon the cover of the holder, are strips G G, 8vo., having upon their faces a series of niches, g, corresponding in depth to the thickness, and in length to twice the width of the map-files.

. The lower half of eac-h niche is covered by a piece of sheet-metal,.g, and forms a recess,for receiving the ends of said map-files.

Similar strips, G', are pivoted at one end within the front corners of the holder, so as to allow of their being placed in a vertical position, as seen in iig. 1, when desired, for supporting maps, or folded together, so as to occupy but little space when not in use, as shown in fi 2.

gIt is intended that the maps H shall be secured to iiles or strips of wood which are somewhat longer, and project at either end beyond said maps, furnishing a space for the ends to rest upon or within the supports provided. v

In' ordr that the maps may be properly designated, and easily referred to, an index, I, covering the inside ofthe cover B, is formed by dividing its surface vertically into twentyseven columns, and .horizontally into spaces of suitable width, to contain a name written plainly.

Placed directly over each vertical column, except the first, is a letter, commencing with A4 upon the left, while the first. column contains numerals corresponding with the number of horizontal spaces, commencing with 1 at the top of said column, and increasing as they descend.

Upon the upper edge of each file is the initial letter of the State or Territory represented, together with a number, there being, of thelatter, a series for each letter of the alphabet. The letters are arranged upon the files, in a line corresponding to the vertical column in the index headed by a like letter, in which the name of the map, fully written out, is placed, occupying the .horizontal space corresponding to the number upon said file.

This'arrangement prevents confusion, and permits any inap to be readily found, it being only necessary to ascertain, upon the index, the number of the required map, and then, commencing at the bottom of the vertical column in which the name appears, run the eye forward across the tiles, and select, from those whose letters are in a line with said vertical column, the number desired, which will designate the required map.

It being vvery necessary that facilities for writing should be furnished for the use of those examining the maps, in orderthat their observations may be noted for future reference, the cover Bis provided with a sliding part, K, upon which are arranged the upper portions of a portable writing-desk, L L, for containing writingmaterial, so that by raising said cover to an angle of about ten degrees, and drawing out the sliding part K, so as to give room beneath for the legs, as shown in tig. 5, a complete and convenient desk is formed.

As seen in lig. 5, the upper portion of the portable desk is in two sections, L L, which are attached to the sliding part K by means of two dovetailed strips of metall lo, secured to each side of said sliding part,

and itting into corresponding grooves in the bottom of said sections, allowing the latter to be readily secured in position, or removed.

The bottoms ofthe sections L L are'inclined upward from the front at an angle of ten degrees, so as to bring their upper sides horizont-al when placed upon the sloping cover; and in order that they may retain the same position when removed therefrom, a lower section or base, M, is provided, the upper side of which has the same inclination as the bottom of said'sections, and is provided with dovetailed strips 1 n.m &c., similar to those upon the sliding part k k, allowing the sections to be attached thereto in a like manner, so that when closed, they present theappearance seen in li gs. and 7 The sections L L are intended for holding ink, pens, pencils, Sto., to which end each is divided by partitions, as shown in iig. 6, so as to furnish'suitable spaces for each article; the ink and small articles being placed in the square spaces along the front, and the pens, pencils, Stc., in the long divisions extending backward.

Upon the underside of the lid of one of the sections` is a rack or holder, N, for containing such pen-holders, pencils, 85o., vas are frequently used. As seen in figs. 13 and 14, this rack consists of au oblong open frame, n, in which slide two cross-pieces n', to which are pivoted two rollers O O by means of strips of metal secured to and projecting forward from the ends of each crosspiece.

A spindle or rod, o, is attached tothe centre of each crossbarn',and extends outward through suitable openings in the ends ofthe frame n, and has coiled around it, between the end of said i'ame and the cross-bar n',

a spiral spring, o', which, while allowing said rollers to be pressed apart or toward the ends of said rack, will force them together as soon as the pressure is removed.

A semicircular depression is made in the centre of' the frame n, into which a pen -holder or pencil can ber easily pressed, the rollers moving apart to allow it to pass, after which they will close together, and firmly hold it in place, as shown in fig. 13, the pen-holder being indicated in red.

In order that the portable desk may be used separate from the map-holder, if desired, the upper side of the base, M, is providedwvith an-extension or leaf m', hinged or otherwise secured to said base, so that'when opened or thrown back, as shown in figs. 6,10, and 11, it shall furnish an increased width of' surface, upon which paper or books may be laid. The interior of this base furnishes an ample spaee'for containing stationery, -or even books of a medium size.V v

Suitable supports, P B, are pivoted within each section,`L L, at their outer sides, so that when the latter are spread apart, as shown in rigs. (l and 8, said 'supports may be turned down, so that their lower ends shall rest upon the surface supporting the base, M, and thus-hold up the outer ends of said sections. When not in use, the support-s may be returned to their positions within the sections, where they occupy but little space. It is intended that the maps shall be suspended from plain slats or strips of wood, to which they may be secured by tacks or by eyleted holes in said maps, passing over hooks upon said slats; but as it may sometimes be desired to use maps temporarily in connection with the holder, provision is made for their suspension to or removal from the tile without mutilation or injury. In figs. 15, 16, and 17, are shown dii'erent views of a tile for accomplishing this object, consisting of asti-ip of wood, R, corresponding in width and length to the slats before described, one of its sides being plain, while the other has the ogce-form peculiar to frames, with astrip ofsheetPmetaI, S, corresponding in width, length, and

form, fitted thereto; one of its ends being hinged to the end of said strip, so as to allow of their being spread apart.v

Two thumb-screws s s, ouexat either end, pass through the metal strip into the wood, for the purpose of enabling them to be pressed firmly together, and it will be readily seen that if said file is opened, the edge of a map inserted, and the file closed and secured 4by the thumb-screws, said map will be firmly held therein without injury.

The advantages possessed by my invention are'obvious, and scarcely require enumeration. I will, however, briefly notice -some of its principal points of excellence.

First, it` furnishes a convenient and desirable means for filing maps, as, by the peculiar arrangement of said maps within the holder, and the method used for recording or indexing them, less time and labor are required to select any desired map, than by any other known manner of ling.

Second, the manner of suspending the maps allows a larger number-.to be filed within the same space than could otherwise be done, and a most compact and secure means is provided for preserving said mapsfrom injury, and for transporting them when desired.

Third, by means of the devices for suspending the maps outside of the holder, they are more conveniently arranged for reference than heretofore; and by the addition of the appliances for converting the cover of said holder into a desk, a desirable and convenient means is provided for noting'down observations for futureguse. 1n addition to the before-mentioned conveniences for writin g, a most convenient, well-arranged, and useful portable desk is provided..

Fourth, the iile shown, provides means whereby a map may be secured and suspended without the slightest mutilation or injury. l

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of lmy invention,

`Vhat l claim, as new, is-

1. The within-described map-holder, consisting of the box A, cover B, operated by.quadrauts b b'and stops c c, with the cleats a', upon which maps may be suspended in the manner shown, substantiallyas described, and for t 1e purpose specified.

2. Also, the slides h b, L'Mc., placed upon or within the front and rear sidesof the map-holder, and with their inner upper corners rabbeted out, so as to receive one end of the map-files, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

3. Also, the strips G and G', provided with the niches g, and secured to the sides and cover, and pivoted within the front corners of said. map-holder, for the purpose of enabling the maps to be conveniently suspended for.

examination, substantially as shown and described.

4. Also, the sliding part K upon the cover B, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

5. Also, in combination with said sliding part K, the

sum

sections of the portable desk L Lfsubstantiallyas and 

